árbitro
/ˈaɾbitɾo/
The English phrase "ref" translates to Spanish as árbitro.
The term árbitro refers to the official who enforces the rules during a sports match.
Which one should you use?
Use árbitro for sports officials in games such as soccer or basketball. In contrast, use juez when referring to legal judges or officials in combat sports like boxing or MMA.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun is gendered. Use the feminine form árbitra when referring to a female referee. For the plural, use árbitros when referring to a group of male referees or a mixed-gender group.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈaɾbitɾo/
Did you know?
- While árbitro is the standard term, you may hear soccer fans use the slang term el pito, meaning 'the whistle', to refer to the official.
- The term árbitro is also used in Spanish to describe a third-party mediator in business or legal disputes, similar to an 'arbitrator' in English.
- The word árbitro comes from the Latin arbiter, which originally meant a person who steps in to decide a dispute or act as a witness.
Examples in context
- El árbitro va a dar por finalizado el juego en dos minutos.The ref is going to end the game in two minutes.This sentence shows the use of árbitro in the context of ending a game.Tatoeba #1447908 by nancy, translation #2655075 by MethodGT
- El árbitro señaló un penalti injustoThe referee called an unfair penalty
- El colegiado mostró una tarjeta roja al delanteroThe referee showed a red card to the forward
- Ese árbitro fue muy estrictoThat ref was really strict
- El árbitro pitó penaltiThe ref blew the whistle for a penalty
- El árbitro del partido fue muy imparcialThe referee of the match was very impartial
- Ayer el colegiado mostró una tarjeta amarilla al defensorYesterday, the ref showed a yellow card to the defender
- Estoy cansado de los árbitros que no saben pitar bienI'm tired of referees who don't know how to blow the whistle properly
- El árbitro cometió un error.The ref made a mistake.
- Necesitamos hablar con el árbitro.We need to talk to the ref.
Example conversation
A man and a woman are watching a football match at home.
- Elena¿Viste eso? El árbitro no pitó la falta.Did you see that? The ref didn't call the foul.
- DanielTienes razón, fue una falta clara.You're right, it was a clear foul.
- ElenaEl árbitro está ignorando todo el partido.The ref is ignoring the whole match.
- DanielEs un partido muy difícil para él.It is a very difficult game for him.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry árbitro, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries árbitro, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
